I am an enthusiastic proponent of observing the same landscapes over and over and over again. Seeing what stays (relatively) the same, and noticing incremental changes. I walk the woods, fields and river paths in my 2-square-mile village almost daily. I know all the trees and flowers personally ☺️, and I always look forward to finding even the smallest variations in size, color, vibrancy. One of my favorite companions here is milkweed. There are 22 native species in Illinois, four that are prolific here — and I know where they all congregate! I’ve taken LOTS of photos of them in every season, every kind of light, every stage of growth, and looking through those pictures brings me immense joy.
Thank you for reading Susan. So glad the local walking resonates and I'm not the only one getting excited about all the little changes! Milkweed is so lovely, do you get Monarch butterfiles in Illinois? 22 native species, how amazing! Thank you for sharing, so lovely to hear about your local walk :)
Yes — many Monarchs! The village I live in is on their migratory path, so there’s been a coordinated effort to plant even more milkweed along the river and in meadows, to sustain them on their journey. ♥️
Beautiful pictures — thank you for sharing.
I am an enthusiastic proponent of observing the same landscapes over and over and over again. Seeing what stays (relatively) the same, and noticing incremental changes. I walk the woods, fields and river paths in my 2-square-mile village almost daily. I know all the trees and flowers personally ☺️, and I always look forward to finding even the smallest variations in size, color, vibrancy. One of my favorite companions here is milkweed. There are 22 native species in Illinois, four that are prolific here — and I know where they all congregate! I’ve taken LOTS of photos of them in every season, every kind of light, every stage of growth, and looking through those pictures brings me immense joy.
Thank you for reading Susan. So glad the local walking resonates and I'm not the only one getting excited about all the little changes! Milkweed is so lovely, do you get Monarch butterfiles in Illinois? 22 native species, how amazing! Thank you for sharing, so lovely to hear about your local walk :)
Yes — many Monarchs! The village I live in is on their migratory path, so there’s been a coordinated effort to plant even more milkweed along the river and in meadows, to sustain them on their journey. ♥️
Great post!